


A Cobweb on the Soul

by sugarboms898



Series: Never to Come Out [1]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Dad Soldier: 76 | Jack Morrison, Gen, Parent-Child Relationship, Team as Family, depressed hana, even if it's only 76 and d.va, i'm tagging it as team as family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-17
Updated: 2017-01-17
Packaged: 2018-09-18 05:31:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,677
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9370097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sugarboms898/pseuds/sugarboms898
Summary: "Crumbling is not an instant's ActA fundamental pauseDilapidation's processesAre organized Decays —"





	

**Author's Note:**

> Many thanks to [robodaydreamer](http://www.robodaydreamer.tumblr.com) for reading this before posting!!

A loud knocking on her door woke her. Hana wrapped her arms around her knees, her toes clenching as tendrils of cool air crept under the pile of blankets. The knocking persisted, causing a flash of mild irritation to cross the MEKA pilot’s face. Grimacing, Hana covered her head with the blankets pooled around her. Bracing her forehead against her knees, she breathed carefully through her mouth.

“D.Va, Soldier: 76 is at the door requesting your presence in the mess hall.”

Hana twitched under the blankets, folding in on herself further.

“Not now, Athena,” Hana mumbled, “I’m not hungry.”

Despite her quietness, the AI must have heard her remark; the knocking resumed, more forcefully than before.

“I must insist you respond. Soldier: 76 is threatening to have me override your door lock within three minutes if you do not.”

Hana slipped her eyes shut, her lips pressed firmly together.

“…leave me alone, Athena,” she whispered, her eyes watering slightly.

The nineteen year old could almost hear the AI pausing to complete a voice analysis. After a few moments, Athena spoke, her voice soft and tentative.

“Are you feeling well, Miss Song? Do you require assistance?”

Hana shuddered out a breath, a few tears dripping down her nose.

“Just go away, Athena. Both of you just go.”

Hana bit back a whimper as her door slid open. Curling her head towards her chest, she listened carefully as soft footsteps approached the bed. She tensed as Soldier: 76 sat down, a quiet, strained sigh whistling through his teeth.

“You have to eat, Hana.”

Hana frowned, a few more tears leaking out. She stayed quiet, desperately willing him to leave.

“McCree’s making dinner tonight, but we can make you something different. C’mon, kiddo.”

Hana clenched her eyes shut, shaking her head. Soldier: 76 sighed, his weight shifting on the bed. After a few moments, he stood up, grunting in discomfort. The MEKA pilot waited to hear the door open, instead surprised when it didn’t. She tensed again as the older soldier settled on the floor in front of her, a gentle hand pushing back some of the blankets.

“Have you had anything to drink recently?” 76 asked, his gravely voice uncharacteristically soft.

The nineteen year old hesitated before murmuring out a soft, “No.”

76 sighed, craning his neck around. Spotting a water bottle on the bedside table, he ran his hand over the lumpy shape of Hana’s head.

“At least drink a little water, Hana.”

Hana sniffled, her eyes watery again. She shook her head, her breath stuttering out of her chest. 76 hesitated before removing his visor, placing it on the floor behind him. He spoke again, his voice softer still without the visor’s modulation.

“Please, Hana. Just a little.”

Hana sobbed suddenly, the noise loud and echoing in the otherwise silent room.

“What happened, kiddo?”

Hana shook her head, pulling the blankets tighter around herself.

“Just go away. Leave me alone,” she sobbed out, her voice muffled by the blankets.

76 ran a hand down his face, closing his eyes in thought. Swallowing, he slowly but firmly pulled the few remaining blankets from around Hana’s face. He frowned at the dark circles under her eyes, and the shiny tear tracks down her cheeks.

“Okay, sweet pea—” Hana’s hiccupping sobs grew louder at the rare nickname, “I’ll go: but drink some water, okay?”

Hana swiped at her face, her breathing labored. 76 ran a hand through her hair before reaching for his visor. Clicking it into place, he slowly lifted himself into standing. He grabbed the water bottle from the end table, placing it near Hana’s cocoon of bedding.

“I’ll come back in an hour and see if you need anything,” he offered, touching a light hand to her face.

Hana gave a small whimper, her hand reaching up to grab at 76’s. The older soldier looked towards the ceiling, his hand curling protectively around Hana’s.

“Athena, tell the others I’m not joining them for dinner—Hana either.”

“Affirmative, Soldier: 76. Do you require any further assistance?”

Glancing down at the crying MEKA pilot, 76 said firmly, “No. We’ll be all right.”

Athena hummed before growing quiet, most likely relaying 76’s message to those gathered in the mess hall. 76 huffed a small laugh, removing his visor yet again.

“Okay, I’m not going anywhere, sweet pea.”

Hana coughed, her eyes bright red as tears continued to track down her cheeks. She pulled weakly at 76’s hand, crying harder as he sat next to her head and lifted it into his lap.

“Okay, we’re okay.”

Hana hiccupped, wiping furiously at her eyes with her free hand. 76 made a soothing sound, grabbing a blanket corner and gently wiping away the tears and snot.

“Why…why do you care so much?” Hana mumbled out, her voice hoarse.

76 made a small noise in the back of his throat, his hand running through her tangled hair. Hana glanced up at his face, noting the small melancholic smile on his face.

“I had a younger sister that you remind me a lot of,” he said, wiping at a few errant tears, “she died when she was seventeen.”

Hana hiccupped, an arm emerging from the blanket pile to curl around 76’s lap.

“She had depression,” he said quietly, “and she often had periods where she’d be despondent and exhausted. During one of her periods of emotional despondency, she fell asleep in the bathtub while the water was running.”

Hana sniffed, curling towards 76. He smiled sadly down at her, pushing her bangs from her face.

“Katie would fall asleep in the bath all the time, but always when someone was at home. It was an accident—our mom and dad had gone to the grocery store, and I was staying over at a friend’s house.”

76 leaned back slightly, his hand stilling on Hana’s forehead. The nineteen year old curled around the elder’s back, her breathing quiet in the silence.

“I see her in you sometimes,” 76 muttered quietly, his hand resuming its path through her hair, “though that’s not the only reason.”

Hana made a small noise in the back of her throat, running a hand across her eyes.

“I’ve been a soldier for the past thirty years of my life. There were certain things I wanted, but couldn’t allow myself to have. Family was chief among them.”

Hana nodded, wrapping her other arm around 76’s waist. The elder soldier leaned forward, rubbing a hand down his face.

“Partners, spouses—I couldn’t…we weren’t able to—” 76 sighs, his eyes weary, “the one partner I had during my time at Overwatch…we wanted different things, in the end.”

“…I’m sorry,” Hana mumbled, her voice tacky with mucus.

“It’s okay, sweet pea,” 76 rumbled, smiling slightly at the nineteen year old.

“This was something else I’ve always wanted, sitting in the back of my head.”

“Kids?”

76 hummed affirmatively, running a hand along Hana’s arm. She sat up slowly, leaning against the man’s side. The old soldier wrapped a hand around Hana’s shoulders, rubbing up and down her arm again.

“G—my partner and I had talked about adopting or surrogacy when we’d retire, but…” 76 bit his lip, “as I said: my partner and I wanted different things in the end.”

“If it helps,” Hana whispered, glancing down at her hands, “you’ve been more like a dad to me than my own one. He just…gave up on me emotionally, at some point.”

76 shook his head, sighing through his nose. The two sat in silence for a few minutes, Hana moving to wrap 76 in some of her blankets. The man huffed a laugh, waiting until the MEKA pilot had settled to start talking.

“I just don’t want you to think that I’m taking advantage of you to live out some parental fantasy I’ve had since I was fifteen,” 76 said humorously, smiling as Hana huffed a laugh.

“No, it’s…nice, having someone care about me that way.”

76 nodded, closing his eyes in contentment.

“Thanks, dad.”

He cracked them open, glancing down at the brunette next to him. She was still staring at her hands, her eyes slightly less dull than before.

“Do you want to take a quick shower? Eat? Drink something?”

She nodded, sighing heavily. She bit her lip, one of her characteristics that indicated she was thinking.

“…Would you mind waiting for me?” Hana asked timidly, her eyes still red-rimmed.

76 nodded, giving her a soft smile.

“I’ll wait in the hallway—give you your privacy.”

The teenager smiled in gratitude, watching as the elder soldier ambled his way towards the door. He slipped out, his visor left forgotten on the bedside table. Hana lethargically stood, her blankets falling from her body to the bed and floor. Flipping the light on, she kept her gaze firmly away from the mirror as she stripped and headed towards the bathroom. Stepping in, she sighed as the automatic showerhead activated, her muscles relaxing under the warm water. Blearily she opened her eyes and began her usual routine, finishing up in ten minutes.

Stepping out of the shower, she again avoided the mirror’s presence as she combed through her hair. Wincing at a particularly nasty knot, Hana finished combing through her hair as Athena spoke up.

“76 would like to know if you would prefer to stay in your room for dinner.”

Hana bit her lip, closing her eyes briefly.

“No, it’s okay,” she said, her chest expanding, “we can eat in the mess hall. I’d…I’d like to see everyone.”

Hana shuffled towards her closet, yanking on a pair of sweatpants she’d borrowed from Lena and a t-shirt with a stylized version of Jamie’s frag grenades. Pulling on some socks and a hoodie with her gamertag on the sleeves, Hana glanced at 76’s visor. She picked it up carefully, her eyes darting across the glass covering. Slowly she placed it back down on the table, turning towards the door that 76 was waiting behind. Steeling herself, Hana opened the door.

**Author's Note:**

> I probably made 76 too OOC but ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> The summary and title are taken from the Emily Dickinson poem "Crumbling is not an instant's Act:"
>
>>   
>  _"Crumbling is not an instant's Act_   
>  _A fundamental pause_   
>  _Dilapidation's processes_   
>  _Are organized Decays —_
>> 
>>  
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> _'Tis first a Cobweb on the Soul_  
>  _A Cuticle of Dust_  
>  _A Borer in the Axis_  
>  _An Elemental Rust —_
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> _Ruin is formal — Devil's work_  
>  _Consecutive and slow —_  
>  _Fail in an instant, no man did_  
>  _Slipping — is Crashe's law —"_  
>   
> 


End file.
